For fans of pure martial arts cinema, The Furious was the film of the summer. Directed by action choreographer Kenji Tanigaki, it brings together stars from Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand in a revenge story built almost entirely around fights. It opened in American cinemas on June 12, 2026, distributed by Lionsgate.

The film at a glance

• Director: Kenji Tanigaki
• Cast: Xie Miao (Wang Wei), Joe Taslim (Navin), Jeeja Yanin, Yayan Ruhian, Brian Le, Joey Iwanaga
• Release: June 12, 2026 (United States, Lionsgate)
• Running time: 113 minutes, rated R

What it is about

When his daughter is kidnapped and the corrupt local police refuse to help, Wang Wei sets out to find her on his own. He joins forces with Navin, a journalist whose wife has also disappeared, and the two fight their way through the gang behind the kidnappings.

The martial arts angle

This is a film made by fight specialists. Kenji Tanigaki made his name as an action director, most famously on the Rurouni Kenshin films, and here he directs the whole movie. The cast reads like a who's who of modern action cinema: Xie Miao started as a child star alongside Jet Li in The New Legend of Shaolin, Joe Taslim and Yayan Ruhian both come from The Raid, and Jeeja Yanin became famous with the Thai film Chocolate. Each brings a different fighting background, and the film gives every one of them room to show it.

What critics said

Reviews were very positive, and almost all of them singled out the action. Critics described the film as hard-hitting and very violent, and several compared it favourably with the best of recent action cinema. The story is simple by design: it exists to connect one fight to the next.

Should you watch it?

If you love The Raid, Ip Man or classic Hong Kong action, this is the 2026 film not to miss. It is rated R for strong violence, so it is not one for younger viewers. For the history behind this kind of film, see our guide to martial arts cinema.